


Zach's Surprise

by Gryphbear



Category: Heroes (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-13
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-20 13:21:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4788734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gryphbear/pseuds/Gryphbear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zach gets a surprising visitor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Zach's Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> This came about re-watching the first season of Heroes -- I was thinking... what ever happened to Zach, Claire's best friend. After watching it, he pretty much 'vanishes' from everyone's radar about mid-season. 
> 
> And with the upcoming show Heroes Reborn, which I'm very jazzed about, I decided to try to write a small fic about him. There probably will be other related fics dealing with Zach later on. It involves 'minor' spoilers of Season 3, but without too much detail, I hope. I also tried to stick to what I know of H.R.G.'s and Zach's personalities. 
> 
> Anyway. Enjoy.

_Disclaimer: (And Author's Note)_

_I do not own Heroes. Tim Kring does. It's all his. The only thing I own is the plot in this story. Also, it may not 'quite' be canon as far as Bennet acquiring a sample of the catalyst. I also tried to adhere to the personalities I've observed of Zach, and Mr. Bennet, as closely as possible. So if it doesn't quite fit, I apologize. :) This came about from watching the first season of Heroes, and wondering what happened with Zach - he 'disappears' around episode 14? or so and is never heard from again. So this is my take of his character... eventually._

**Zach's Surprise**

**2007:**

_As it turns out - my memories... were taken. Claire told me a big black guy took them away under orders of her Dad._

_And I've been doing a little bit of research -- I have HUGE gaps in my memory for the last 2 weeks. No matter how I try to remember... I can't._

_I'm not sure if I can ever get them back. She looked doubtful when I asked._

_I'm angry. But... what can I do? I don't have any powers. I wouldn't be able to report him to the police, or any local authorities - who would believe me?_

I rub my eyes wearily, as I toss my pen down on my journal. Looking around in my messy room, I sigh in frustrated annoyance. "Claire. I know I gave you that speech about me being happy with who I am, but... I can't help but be envious of you."

**2010:**

Zach walked into his room, and froze. A familiar stranger wearing horn-rimmed glasses sat on his bed with a small smile. Zach stared, open-mouthed, then blurted out. "What are you doing here? Is Claire okay?"

Mr. Bennet chuckled softly, and stood up. "She's fine. I'm here to talk to you."

Zach's senses suddenly went wary, as he peered around. "You're not going to take my memories again, are you?"

He shook his head, as his smile disappeared. "No. Not this time." He sighed, and took his glasses off, then started polishing them with a cloth. "Yes, Claire told me that you knew about her all this time... Eventually. She's very protective of you, you know." He slipped them back on his face, and waited.

The younger man stepped inside and shut the door. He nodded slowly, still cautious. "Right, so, um, why are you here?"

"Well, You've proven you can keep a secret. I've long given up on trying to protect my daughter. Not that I won't keep trying..." Mr. Bennet reached into his inside pocket, and withdrew a small black case. He unzipped it, and withdrew a vial filled with a dark reddish liquid. Closing the case again, he laid it on top of Zach's desk. As he turned back to face Zach, he held the vial aloft in the air. "This. I believe there's going to be changes. No matter how I may want to keep Claire, and the rest of them hidden from the world. I'm afraid it's not going to last forever."

Zach pulled up a chair and sat against the door, peering at Noah Bennet's hand. "Uh, what's that?" He shook his head, and bit his lower lip. "No offense, I don't want to become a mindless zombie if that's something you cooked up to make me forget everything..." He made no move to reach for the strange vial.

Mr. Bennet stared at him, and laughed shortly. "No, no. This isn't ... I'm sorry. I thought you understood. This is ... a precious commodity." He held it up the vial, studying it before looking at Zach again. "This... is a catalyst to grant powers. Anyone with half a brain would kill for this. Unfortunately, this is the last vial I managed to secure before the compound was completely destroyed."

Zach's mouth slowly dropped open. "W-what? How? Powers? Wait... do you mean that big gas explosion up in New York a couple weeks ago?" He pointed at the vial in incredulous disbelief. "That gives you powers?" Thoughts flitted across his mind and his face so rapidly, he was rendered speechless for a moment.

He frowned, and stared at his best friend's Dad. "Why... would you pick me? You could easily use it for yourself - protect your own daughter, right?"

Noah looked at the catalyst he was holding, and let out a soft sigh. "Yes. I could. But I've seen terrible things. I've done terrible things to people in my daughter's case. I'm trying to become a better person. So, no. I am not willing to use it on myself."

Zach pursued his lips in silence, studying the older man before him. He finally spoke. "So. Why me? I'm nothing special."

Mr. Bennet chuckled. "No. You are special. You inspired Claire to become who she was."

The young man stammered deprecatedly. "Uh, well... I can't do what she can do. All I did was be her friend, despite us being from two different worlds."

Noah adjusted his glasses, and shook his head. "Exactly. But this is your chance...to be extraordinary. What do you say?"

Zach held his breath, staring at the vial, and then let it out explosively. "Damn. What's the catch?"

The older gentleman across from him was silent for a moment. His expression turned earnest. "Only that I might need your help someday."

Zach snorted mockingly. "No doubt for your terrible deeds?"

Bennet grimaced, and looked down at the precious liquid cradled in his hands. "No. I'm done with that. I'm trying to do better by Claire. The company I used to work for is still out there - and I've been trying to protect people with powers from them. I want someone who I feel like I could trust to protect others to receive this." He raised the vial again, and spoke softly, while looking at Zach with a serious expression. "If you are willing to do this, I'll need to inject you with this."

Zach bit his lower lip in a moment of indecision. His feelings of envy over Claire's special abilities bubbled up inside him again. _What would it be like... to have a power? Claire has said so many times that she wishes she were normal, but, to me, she's never been normal -- just extraordinary._ "...Okay. I'll do it."

Noah smiled with a small hint of relief in his features. "Okay." He stepped closer to Zach, and nodded to his arm. "Roll up your sleeve."

Zach gulped nervously, and pulled up his sleeve. "Is this going to hurt?"

Noah paused, and shrugged. "Maybe? Here. You can do it yourself. Just press it against your upper arm and press the button." He handed the ampule to Zach, and stepped back expectantly.

Zach took the capsule in his trembling hands. _I wonder... I wonder what power I'll have if I take this? Am I even worthy of using this?_ He took it in his left hand, and swallowed nosily. He placed it against his right upper arm, and hesitated. "Uh, here goes." It felt cool against his skin, and as he depressed the button, he felt a blast of liquid warming his skin. He felt his skin absorbing it almost immediately as he drained the vial. A moment of silence went by before he lowered the ampule.

The younger man frowned. "I don't feel any different."

Mr. Bennet nodded as if that made sense. "I believe that the powers inside people manifest due to their deepest wish - be it to run fast, or teleport, or to never get hurt."

Zach gazed up at Claire's Dad. "Deepest wish, huh? And seeing as I still remember you and Claire... Um, thanks for the shot."

Noah smiled, and gathered up the case. "You're welcome. Here's my card with my contact info if you need to get ahold of me." He laid his card on the desk. "Please, let me know what happens." He handed his hand out expectantly.

Zach stood up, placing the empty ampule into Mr. Bennet's hand. "Sure. Um, can I talk to Claire about this?"

Noah tucked it back in the case, and zipped it shut. Slipping the case inside his jacket, he paused. "I guess. She wants someone her age who would understand what she's going through... I think. But I wouldn't tell everyone. But Claire? Sure. Just give me a few days to tell her that I gave you the shot."

Zach stepped out of the way, moving his chair away from the door. "Great! Um, that's okay."

Mr. Bennet nodded. "Great! I'll expect to hear from you soon."

Zach watched him walk out the door and shut it behind him, slumped in relief. He stumbled toward the bed, then flopped onto it. All the nervous tension he'd been holding in ever since Claire's dad showed up, flowed away.

_...So. I am going to have powers. Wow. I wonder what they'll be?_

==--TBC--==

 


End file.
